Improvement in bouquet-holders



J. Bnuquei-Holders.

5- DREHER.

Paten ted De c. I5, 1874,

W|TNESSES %a4.

T0 all whom it may coowern:

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JURIAS G. DREHER, OF EINE GROVE, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN 1BOUQUET-HOLDERS.

Specifieation forming part of Letters Patent N0. 157,804, dated December 15, 1874; applicanion filed October 24, 1874.

Be it known that I, J'URIA'S G. DREHER, M. D., of Pine Grove, in the eounty of Sohuylkill aud State of Pennsylvania, l1ave invented a new and useful Improvement; in Bouquet- Holder, 0f Whieh t11e following is a specifioa-l tion:

Figure l is a vertical seetion of my improved bouquet-holder arranged for use as a vase. Fig. 2 is a top view of he szune. Fig. 3 is an side view of the same arranged for use as a button-hole bouquet-holder, anal the rubber ease being partly drawn ofl. Fig. 4 is a side view of the same, the sponge being removed, and tl1e rubber case being showu in seotion.

My invention has for its objeot to furnish an improved bouquet-holder, simple in construction, and convenient in use, whieh will keep the stems of the flowers moist, and thus keep the flowers fresl1 f0r a long time, and whioh may be oarried about; without Spilling t-l1e water.

The invention consists in Ehe combination of tl1e slotted tube, the conioal flange 01 cup, the gum-elastic oase, and the sponge with eaeh other; in the combination of the rod and the couieal base with tl1e slotted tube, ehe conieal flange or cup, the gum-elastie case, and the sponge; in the combination 0f the slitted rubber plate with ehe rocl aud the slotted tube 0f tl1e holder; in ohe oombination of the flanged tube With the elastic cmse and the slotted tube 0f the holder and in the combinatiou 0f the spring-holt; wit-h the fianged tube, the elastio oase, and th'e slotted tube, es hereiuafter fully described.

A is a tube, whieh 1nay be made eylindrical, or eonioal, or bulging, or of any other desired form. 'lhe tube A is slotted longitudiually, to allow a sponge 130 Pass through t0 eome in contaot with Lhe stems of the flowers. Upon tl1e upper end of tl1e tube A is f01med a flaming or conioal fiange or eup, B, t0 support the flowers, anjd whieh may be ornamented 130 any desired extenu. In ehe. case of large 0r vase bouquet-holdlars, tl1e lower end of the tube A is closed, and has a rod, C, atraohed to it, which projeots up through the eenter of the tube A, and is designed to have a pieoe of sponge, D, tied around lt. In the case of small or button-hole bouquet-holders, tl1e rod C is not used, and alle lower end of the tube A is left open, and the slots 0f seid tube extend to the said lower end, so (ab-a1; tl1e piece 0f sponge D may be slipped up iuto seid slots from tl1eir lower open ends, as shown in Fig. 3, where it is secured by a ring slipped upon seid lower end. E is a rubber er gumelastio bulb' or ease, Whi0h 1nay be milde globaler, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, or may be elongated, as s110w11 in Figs. 3 and 4, or 0f any other desimble shape. The mouth of the oa-se E is made of such a size as 1:0 reoei ve the tube A. In the case of large bouqueb-holders several pieces of sponge D are placed in theoase E around the tobe A, and tl1e mouth of the said oase E is strengthened by a flanged taube, F, the lower end of Wl1loh is enl-arged 01 made flaring o0 push the loose pieoes of sponge away frorn the slots of the mbe A as the case Eis eompressed. In ehe case of large bouquetholders the lower end 0t' tl1e rod O projeot-s t0 pass through a hole in the bottom of the oase E, and through a hole in the base G, and hamsa screw-thread Gut upon lt 130 receive the nut c, by whioh the rod O, tube A, case E, and

base G a-re held together The base G may be made conieal or flaring, and may be ornamented to zmy desired extent. H is 2b rubber disk 01 plate placed upon the upper end 0f the rod G, am]. secured in place by a capnut, 0 screwed upon 1she seid upper end 0f the said rod G. 'll1e rubber plate H is made of such a size as to fit into tl1e upper end of ehe tube A, is slitted radially, and is designed to keep the flower-stem in plzwe in the taube A.

T0 place theflowers in the holder, the thumb 0f one band is plaeed upon the base G, and uhe first and second fingers of said band are placed upon the upper p2ut 0f tl1e ease E. 'Ihe thumb and fingers are oben foreed toward each other, whieh presses thetube F down upon the tube A, and forces ehe case E dowi1 upon the base G, which gives it a oonieal form, and compresses the loose pieces of sponge into the fold of the seid oase E. I is a small catchholt placed in a sockeo attaehed to nhe upper flange 0f ehe tube F, and whioh is held out by a eoiled spring, J, also plaoed within seid soeket1. The holt I, when the case E is forced downward or oompressed, is pushed forward into a hole in the side of the tube A, or be neath a cross-bar across one 0f the slots in seid tube, to hold 'the ease E compressed until the flower-stems have been inserted in the tube A; then, by a slight downward pressure upon the case E, the bolt I will be released, and Will be forced outward by the pressure 0f the spring J, allowing the case E 130 rise t0 it's, former position. When it is desired to renew the water in the holder, the stale water is i'orced 0ut by pressing down the case E. The lower pa'r't 0f the holder is thenimmersegl in fresh water, and the case allowed to rise to its place, which causes the water t0 be drawn into and fill the case E. VVhen ehe holder is to be stationary it should be filled with water. When the holder is to be carried a slight pressure upon the case E will force out the surplus water, and it may then be carried without any water spilling out. When the devioe is t be used as a buttonhole bouquet-h older, a pin, K, is atta-ehed to the upper end of t-he oube A, 130 enable it t0 be conveniently secured'to the lapel of the coat.

Ha.ving thus described rny invention, I claim as new anti desire t0 secure by Letters Patent- 1. The combination 0f the slotted. tube A, the conical flange 01 eup B, the gum-elastie ease E, and the sponge D winh eaol1 other, substantially as herein showna-nd deseribed.

2. The combination 0f the r0d C and the conical base G with the slotted tube A, the conical flange 01 cup B, the gum-elastic ease E, and ehe sponge D, substanti-ally as herein shown and described.

3. 'lhe combination of the slitted rubber plate H With the rod O and the slotted tube A of the holder, substantially es herein showu and described.

4. The combination of the flanged tube F With the case E and the slotted. tube A f the holder, substantially as herein shown and described.

5. The combination of the spring-holt I J with the fianged tube F, the case E, und the slotted tube A, substantially as herein shown and described.

JURIAS G. DREHER, M. D.

Witnesses:

J OHN D. KEHRER, ALBERT SPANGLER. 

